2K Games announces the release of Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods & Kings in North America, offering what's described as a "massive expansion" for Firaxis' turn-based strategy sequel. A new video developer diary for the add-on was released yesterday, and today's release is accompanied by a new launch trailer. Here's word:

2K Games and Firaxis Games announced today that Sid Meier's Civilization® V: Gods & Kings, the expansion pack for the award-winning Civilization V, is now available for Windows-based PC and Mac in North America and will be available internationally on June 22, 2012. Sid Meier's Civilization V: Gods & Kings enhances the Civilization V experience with new gameplay content and provides even more ways for players to achieve world domination. Spanning the breadth of human civilization, the Gods & Kings expansion pack takes players from founding the first Pantheon of the Gods and spreading religion across the world, to deploying spies in enemy cities to steal information and technology, and much more.

“Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings continues the tradition of content-rich expansion packs for the Civilization series,” said Sarah Anderson, senior vice president of marketing for 2K. “It is the ultimate Civilization V addition, giving fans and newcomers another reason to keep playing ‘one more turn.’”

Developed by Firaxis Games, Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings takes players through time as they engage in new quests and global competitions, interact with new types of city-states, and master exciting new systems for land and naval combat. Nine new civilizations, each ruled by a new leader; nine new wonders; three original scenarios; and dozens of new units, buildings, technologies and resources have also been added, offering even more ways for players to expand their empire on their quest to rule the world.

“We can’t wait for fans to get started on their quest to achieve world domination in all-new ways with Civilization V: Gods & Kings,” said Sid Meier, director of creative development for Firaxis Games. “Gods & Kings is one of the best expansions we’ve ever created, delivering countless hours of new gameplay experiences for Civ players around the world.”

Key features include:

Expanded Epic Game: The core game experience has been greatly expanded with the addition of new technologies, 27 new units, 13 new buildings and nine new Wonders;
New Civilizations and Leaders: Gods & Kings features nine new civilizations, each with unique traits, units, buildings and leaders;

New Game Scenarios: Three new scenarios let gamers experience the medieval period, the fall of Rome, and embark on a new adventure in Empires of the Smoky Skies, a Victorian steampunk scenario;

The Return of Religion: A first for Civilization V, players seek out Faith, choosing a Pantheon of the Gods and creating Great Prophets to found and spread their customized religion across the world;

World Domination: The fight for world domination is more dynamic than ever. Gods & Kings features a reworked combat system and AI that places more emphasis on a balanced army composition. Additionally, the navy is now split into two different ship types, melee and ranged, making coastal cities vulnerable to a surprise naval attack;

Enhanced Diplomacy and Espionage: Establish embassies at foreign courts for closer ties or clandestine operations. As the religions of the world start settling in and the world moves into the Renaissance, spies can be unlocked to establish surveillance of foreign cities, steal advanced technologies from your strongest competitors, or garner influence with City-States through election rigging, or even a coup;

City-States: Two new city-state types have been added, Mercantile and Religious, adding new gameplay to a greatly expanded quest system to further the narrative of the game and making diplomatic victories more challenging.

Sid Meier’s Civilization V: Gods & Kings is rated E10+ (Everyone 10 and older) by the ESRB and is available now in stores for PC and for download on PC and Mac for $29.99. For the latest news, information, downloads and a detailed look at each of the civilizations in Gods & Kings, please visit www.civilization.com.

theyarecomingforyou wrote on Jun 19, 2012, 11:30:Thank you shitty publishers for releasing it on different dates in different regions. It's not like we have this thing called digital distribution which allows for games to be released at the same time around the globe. In the UK we have to wait another two days.

It's time that publishers release games at the same time across all regions. Digital sales will account for more than retail, especially for a title like this. There really is no excuse.

Publishers are slowly being dragged kicking and screaming into digital distribution systems where their roll in gaming is slowly dying away in the same way that tv distributors are being dragged kicking and screaming into the digital age. Slowly but surely.